Pulsation eliminator and gas cleaner



Nov. 17, 1953 R. c. BAIRD PULSATION ELIMINATOR AND GAS CLEANER Filed Aug. 18, 1950 RA YMOND C. .BA/IQD INVENTOR.

a i:iiiuiii lii. I I!!! -ili-i-ui-l-Iun- 1 ATTOQNEX Patented Nov. 17, 1953 PULSATION ELIMINATOR AND GAS CLEANER Raymond C. Baird, Los Angcles, Calif., assignor to The Fluor Corporation,

Ltd., Los Angeles,

Calif., a corporation of California Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,217

4 Claims.

This invention has for it general object the provision of a unitary apparatus capable of per' forming the dual functions of eliminating pulsations from gas streams and of separating moisture from the gas. More specifically contemplated is a single shell-contained unit designed to function as an acoustical filter with respect to a moisture-laden gas stream entering the shell, and as a separator by which moisture is extracted through the employment of an element functioning both as a pulsation dampening and moisture separating element.

As to the general kind of pulsation dampener employed, the invention contemplates using essentially the type disclosed in the Stephens Patent 2,4314%, issued March 9, 1948, on Gas Pulsation Dampening Apparatus, and comprising a shell containing a pair of chambers connected by an elongated pipe for series flow of the gas from an inlet through the chambers to an outlet. As discussed in the patent, the shell chambers serve as acoustical capacitances and the elongated pipe as an acousticalimpedance or inductance, all so related as to produce a canceling out of the pulsation phases. For present purposes, attention is directed to the efiect of the chamber interconnecting pipe to restrict the gas stream over an extended path of flow.

One of my major objects is to utilize the interconnecting pipe, together with internal baffies or vanes, as a means of throwing out from the gas, liquid which maybe removed separately from the outlet gas. Specifically, I place within the pipe a spiral or helical vane series acting to convert the gas entering the pipe to a swirling course of flow and acting on the gas at or approaching the outlet end of the pipe, to centriiugally segregate the liquid against the wall of the tube and from which the liquid is separably removable and recoverable and through an appropriate liquid trap.

The invention has various additional features and details, particularly with relation to the particular form and placement of the bafiling vanes within the pipe, and also the liquid drawofi means, all of which however will be understood to best advantage from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention shown by the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view taken in longitudinal section through expose the gas swirling Fig. 2 is an enlargement of the liquid trap assembly at the outlet end of the pipe; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The dampener-separator structure includes an elongated shell lil containing a pair of chambers I I and 12 which may be of substantially the same size separated by a transverse partition l3. A wet pulsating gas stream entering chamber H through the inlet l4 flows through an elongated pipe l5 into chamber [2 and thence to the outlet IB. The functional relations of the chambers H and I2, serving as acoustical capacitances, and the interconnecting pipe i5 serving as an acoustical impedance, are Iully developed in the Stephens patent referred toabove. For present purposes it will sufiice to explain that the chambers and their interconnecting pipe may veloped, for example by the usual natural gas piston-type compressors, the inductance pipe it will be extended to a length greater than the length of the shell Hi. Accordingly, the pipe may be accommodated within the shell by eX- tending the pipe through the partition l3 and doubling the pipe upon itself within the chambers H and I2, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1.

condition of substantially swirling flow at the inlet and outlet extents of the pipe. Accord ingly, the latter is shown to contain spaced spiral baiiies or vanes ll, I8 and H] at intervals maintaining the desired angular or swirling flow of the gas entering the pipe and approaching its gas progressively develops to the maximum reached as the gas leaves the bafile. In reverse relation, bafile l9 within the outlet end portion has a progressivel increasing into chamber I2. One important advantage resulting from the efiect of bafiles l1 and 19 on the gas stream is that the overall pressure drop through the pipe I5 is considerably reduced below that which would otherwise exist with the inlet and outlet vanes at constant minimum pitch corresponding to the desired intermediate swirl velocity.

At the high velocity imparted to the gas and flowing through the pipe, liquid entrainment in the gas is centrifugally and progressively thrown out against the wall of the pipe while being carried forward toward its outlet end 2.! by placing one or more spiral vanes 18 within the lower pipe run l5a. Provision is there zmade Jior separating the liquid and removing it from the shell independently of the outlet gas stream. For this purpose I provide a trap, generally indicated at 22, comprising an enlarged diameter extension 23 of pipe l5 surrounding in spaced relation a pipe section 24 containing the vane 19. Centrifugally segregated liquid enters the .space 25 and drains through slot or opening 26 .into a trap chamber 21 from which the liquid drains into vessel 21! and thence into the draw-off line 212.

In the course of its flow from the inlet M to the outlet l5 through the chambers and their interconnecting pipe, the gas issubjectedto the dual eiiec'ts of pulsation elimination and liquid separation, with the final result that gas reaching the outlet is dry and has a regular or substantially non-pulsating flow.

I claim:

1. A gas pulsation dampener and separator comprising a shell containing a pair of chambers the first of which has a gas .inlet and thesecond of which has a gas outlet, a pipe within the shell connecting the chambers for series flow of the gas therethrough, said pipe being of greater length than the shell and being doubled upon itself within the chambers, helical baffles Within the inlet and outlet ends of thepipe, and a ,trapin the second chamber reeeivingliquid from an opening in the side of the pipe opposite the bathe ,in its outlet end and conducting the liquid out of the shell.

2. A gas pulsation dampener land separator comprising a shell containinga pair ofichambers the first of which has a gasinletsand thesecond of which has a gas outlet, .a pipe within theshell connecting the chambers .for series flow of the gas therethrough, said pipe being :of greater length than the shell and being doubled upon itself within the chambers, helical baffles within 3. A gas pulsation dampener and separator comprising a shell containing a pair of chambers the first of which has a gas inlet and the second ef which-has a gas outlet, a pipe within the shell connecting the chambers for series how of the .gas itherethrough, said pipe being of greater length than the shell and being doubled upon it- :self within 'the chambers, helical baflles within the inlet and outlet ends of the pipe, the leads of said baffles increasing toward their respective ends of the pipe, and a trap in the second chamber receiving liquid from an opening in the side of the pipe opposite the bafiie in itsoutlet end and conducting the liquid out of the shell.

4. A gas pulsation dampener and separator comprising a shell containing a pair of chambers the first of which has a gas inlet and the second of which has a gas outlet, a pipe within the shell connecting the chambers for series flow of the gas therethrough, said pipe being of greater length than the :shell and being doubled upon itself within the chambers, helical bailies within theinlet and outlet-ends of the pipe,.an additional helical baffie insaid pipe near its outlet end, and a trap in the second chamber receiving liquid .froman opening in the sideof the pipe opposite the baffle in .its outlet end and conducting the liquid out of the shell.

RAYMOND C. BAIRD.

References Cited in .the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

